Once upon a time, mainstream dating sites like Match.com or eHarmony may have been seen as solutions to be skeptical of, but now they’re completely ordinary ways to meet people and roll the dice in search of love. At this point, millions have found lasting love via such avenues and no one really thinks twice about using them. They simply trust that the system is effective and go for it. But what if you’re not interested in “happily ever after” at this exact point in your life? What if you just want to have some fun with cool people and maybe get laid a little more often? Adult dating sites are definitely one way to go, but they’re a lot less mainstream than more traditional options. Do they actually work and if so, what’s the protocol for actually having a good experience? Allow us to provide answers to all of your burning questions. How Do I Know Adult Dating Is Right for Me? As touched on above, people don’t exactly talk about adult dating at the dinner table or on Facebook, so getting a solid read on what it’s really all about can be tough. The fact of the matter is adult dating sites are definitely for real and people absolutely use them to hook up with other people. Many even far prefer them to any of the alternatives. Here are some signs adult online dating is a good fit for you.

You’re sick of the bar scene.

If you’re like a lot of people, you probably hit the bars or the clubs on Friday night if you’re in the mood to get laid. You find someone you like the look of. You chat them up and maybe buy them a few drinks. You flirt. Then if all goes well, one of you goes home with the other. While that’s all fine and dandy, it also gets old after a while, especially if you’re not really in the mood to drop a lot of money on drinks or spend half the evening just talking, especially when there’s a chance you could strike out anyway.

You’re a busy person.

If you sometimes find yourself legitimately feeling like you don’t actually have the time or the energy to meet people or date, then casual adult dating sites are a great solution for you. You get to use your phone to browse willing potential partners, so finding your next sex hook-up is literally as easy as spending a few minutes on an app or a mobile website. If you’ve got time to check your texts or scroll through Twitter, you’ve got time to find your next hot date.

You wish you could just be direct about what you want.

Even here in the 21st century, it’s not really socially acceptable to be completely direct with someone you don’t know when it comes to sex. Even if you’re pretty sure you’re both completely down to hook up and not much else, you’re still expected to beat around the bush and pretend you’re not. It’s totally normal to wonder why it has to be that way. On an adult hook-up site, there’s no real need to take your time unless you really want to. Everyone else on there is looking for the same thing you are, so no pretense is necessary.

You want an easy way to get laid absolutely anywhere.

When you get the urge to scratch that familiar itch at home, you already have a pretty good idea of how to go about it. You know which club is the best one to hit if you’re in the mood to go home with someone. You know which of your exes totally wouldn’t mind a booty call on a Saturday night. It’s a little tougher if you’re out of town or otherwise new to a given area. Lots of adult dating apps match you with potential partners based on GPS, so you can use them absolutely anywhere. No more hit and miss! In other words, if you’re someone that prefers to keep it casual and fuss-free when it comes to your dating and sex life, an adult dating site is almost certainly something you’d find useful. It’s certainly worth a try, right? What Are the Best Ways to Be Successful at Online Dating? Of course deciding online adult dating sounds like a good fit for your values and lifestyle is one thing. Making sure you get the most out of your experience is another. Here’s a closer look at a few tips for getting started with a splash and hitting all the right notes with your potential hook-ups.

Know what you’re looking for.

Casual adult dating as a concept isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. You’ll find that it’s actually pretty varied. Are you technically open to the idea of a relationship, but mostly into hooking up to begin with? There are sites that specialize in that. Into BBW (big beautiful women), interracial dating, or sugar daddy type situations in particular? Sites that cater to those demographics are pretty easy to find as well. All things considered, you’ll definitely want to start your journey by figuring out what you really want out of the experience, because you probably have more options to choose from than you even realize right now. If you’re mostly looking for a discreet, fast, no nonsense way to get laid anywhere and anytime, consider a site like Mixxxer that’s designed with your needs in mind.

Include lots of detail in your profile.

Thanks to the prevalence of social media, you’re probably pretty well-versed in what it takes to stand out online and let other people know whether or not you’re a good connection for them. Casual hook-up dating is really no different in that regard except for the pressing need for detail and completeness. Your dating profile is the only tool you’re going to have to sell yourself to potential matches online, so it’s important to make sure it’s on point. To begin with, you’ll want to include as many photos as possible. Make sure at least one or two are pictures that show your entire physique, as people definitely want to see who they’re hooking up with. Fill out all the required fields as well and definitely sell yourself. Not sure where to start? Spend a little time checking out the site’s most popular dating profiles and take note of what they seem to be doing right. Figure out how you can use what you learned to make yourself look as appealing as possible to the type of folks you’re looking to hook up with.

Choose a site that offers paid membership options.

You’ll find that there are lots of sites out there that are 100% free from top to bottom. You’ll also find that sites like that are pretty jam-packed with time wasters and spammy ads though. Plus, with a site that’s completely free, you can never really be sure how serious the people on it are about the type of dating you’re into. A lot of the better sites out there will let you check everything out for free within certain limits. Some may offer a bare-bones version of their full interface for the use of non-paying members. Others might let you check out the whole nine yards for a pre-set trial period. Whichever the case may be, you just stand a much better chance of having a satisfying experience and meeting genuine people if you’re willing to shell out some cash, at least in theory.

Be active once you’re a member.

It doesn’t really pay to be passive when it comes to adult dating. Sure, you might run into a few cool folks if you just put up a profile, sit back, and wait for the emails to roll in. You’ll stand a much better chance of getting what you want out of the experience if you’re actually proactive about it though. See someone you like? Send them a message and see what happens. Got messages waiting for you in your inbox? Answer them, even if all you have to say is “no thanks”. Does the platform you chose feature chat rooms or forums for members? Get in there and contribute to the general activity level on the site. Active members that participate also see the most action.

Make sure you stay safe.

Obviously you’re looking into adult dating because you want to get laid, so it only stands to reason that you’ll want to meet up with some of these folks at some point. It’s still important to keep safety in mind though. If you have a bad feeling about someone, trust your gut and take a pass. It’s not a bad idea to let a good friend know what you’re up to as well if you’re meeting a date just in case. Most of the people you’re going to meet are going to be very trustworthy and completely discreet, but you still want to err on the side of caution. Beyond that, the only real requirement when it comes to how you use an online dating site is to have fun. After all, that’s the whole point, right — freedom, fun, sex, and satisfaction? Get started today on a site like Mixxxer! The sex life you actually want is just a few short keystrokes away.